Wall construction



Sept. 19, 1939. RA T. MCGEE WALL CONSTRUCTION 2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed sept. 9, 193e QV. V

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INVENTOR Richard TMC Ge e ELM@ L4M R. T. MCGEE WALL CONSTRUCTION Sept. 19, 1939.

Filed Sept. 9, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Rich afdll'ee QQw d@ Patented Sept. 19, 1939 UNITED STATES 4P ATE. NT IOFFI C E.

WALL CONSTRUCTION West Virginia Application September 9, 1938, Serial No. 229,104

9 Claims.

This invention relates to Wall construction and particularly to the construction of walls employing studding to which a facing, such, for eX- ample, as lath and plaster, is applied. The in- 51 vention is especially applicable in the construction of walls employed as partitionsl and which are `of minimum thickness for the type of construction employed.

VIt has heretofore been proposed to construct a wallor partition employing a metal base rail and metal studs supported and positioned upon the base rail and also engaging portions of a meta-l ceiling rail. Such -a construction is well adapted for fabrication of very thin partitions. It has been customary to support and position the studs on the base rail by providing a pair of spaced upwardly projecting tongues on the base rail between which a portion of the stud is clamped. Thisfcons'truction, however, is rela- 4tively expensive to manufacture and in the event of Adispacement of -either of the two upwardly projecting tongues the stud may be displaced from its -proper position.

I provide a wall Yconstruction which comprises "a base member having positioning means projecting therefrom and a second member of generally channel cross section having an end thereof formed to generally closed hollow cross section and embracing the positioning means whereby to maintain such members in position relatively to each other. Preferably the flanges 'of the second member of generally channel cross section are turned inwardly Vtoward each other suiciently to enable the portion of the second 351 member at which the flanges thereof are turned inwardly to substantially embrace the positioning means of the base member. The positioning means may, therefore, comprise a single projection, and I preferably employ a single out- 0 struck tongue formed out of the material of the base member. the end of the second member which is maintained against transverse displacement rela tively thereto by reason of the embracement of 45 the tongue by the generally closed hollow end of the second member.

Ordinarily the base member above referred to will be the base rail or floor track of a wall construction and the second member will be a 50 stud of vsuch wall construction. There is preferably also provided aceiling rail or track which may be similar to the base rail or floor track and which has portions which engage and position the upper ends of the studs in similar manner.

55 Other details, objects and advantages of the The tongue preferably enters invention will become apparent' as the following description of Ycertain present preferred embodi-v ments thereof proceeds.

In the accompanying drawings I have shown certain present ,preferred embodiments of the invention, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of a portion of a floor track showing how a stud is applied thereto;

Figure 2 is an elevational View with portions cut away of a partition or wall construction ernploying a floor track and stud as shown in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a bottom plan view of the construction shown Yin Figure 2, but omitting the wall facing;

Figure 4 is an end elevational view of the construction shown in Figure 2, but omitting the wall facing;

' Figure 5 is a perspective view of a shoe adapted to be applied to the floor or ceiling'track when studs are required at points other than provided for by tongues on the floor and ceiling tracks;

Figure 6 is an end elevational view of the shoe shown in Figure 5;

Figure 7 is a sideeelevational view of the shoe shown in Figures 5 and 6; and

Figure 8 is a bottom plan view of the shoe shown in Figures 5, 6 and 7.

Referring now more particularly to th-e drawings, there is provided a floor track designated generally by reference numeral 2 which is of generally channel cross section and having outwardly projecting feet 3. The floor track 2 is preferably made of steel and is desirably formed of ordinary hot rolled stock. The track may be of any desired length and is preferably provided at spaced intervals therealong as, for example, on 16'.' centers,` which is the standard spacing of studs in wall constructions, With upwardly projecting positioning means in the form of tongues 4 shown as being outstruck from the metal of the track. The track is also provided at suitable intervals with nail holes 5 for nailing lt to the flooring.

A plurality of studs 5 are provided, each stud being of generally channel shape and being supported upon and extending upwardly from the floor track 2. The width transversely of the floor track of each of the tongues 4 is preferably such as to enable such tongue to fit snugly against the web and between the flanges of one of the studs 6. The floor track is positioned and nailed in place and a ceiling track l, which may be a substantial duplicate of the floor track, ispositioned above the floor track and against the ceiling and is nailed or otherwise secured in place there, the tongues of the floor and ceiling tracks being disposed in vertical alignment. The studs 6 are then positioned about the respective tongues 4 and the flanges of each stud adjacent the top and bottom thereof, respectively, are bent or turned inwardly to substantially embrace the tongues as shown at 8. It is only necessary to turn the flanges inwardly suiiiciently to prevent transverse displacement between the tongue and stud and the flanges need not be turned down flat against the tongue. Thus the stud is in effect locked against any transverse movement in any direction relatively to the oor and ceiling tracks. The same result can be accomplished by turning only one of the flanges of the stud against the tongue, whereby to hold the stud against lateral displacement relatively to the tongue. Both of the constructions above described and their equivalents are comprehended within the eX- pression generally closed and like expressions which are used in the claims as applied to the end of the member which is connected with the member having the positioning means. I do not mean by generally closed that the end of the member in question must necessarily have its ends in contact or even extending directly toward each other, so long as the result of preventing relative displacement between the two members transversely of the positioning means is obtained. It should also be understood that the term base member and similar expressions used in the claims as applied to the member having the positioning means does not restrict the orientation of the member in the wall construction; although the base member will ordinarily be horizontal it may assume a vertical or inclined position. The wall structure itself may be disposed in other than vertical position; it may extend horizontally or on an incline. f f

In Figure 2 a space 9 is shown between the Vtops of the studs 6 and the body of the ceiling track l, which space may be left open if desired or lled with metal or wooden trim. The studs may,

.if desired, extend completely up to the ceiling track and in such event they may at least partially carry the load of the ceiling track.

Either one or both faces of the studding may Y be provided with a wall facing, such, for example,

as lath and plaster. In Figure 2 a portion of a lath and plaster facing is shown as being applied to the front face of the studding, viewing that figure. The lath is shown as being expanded metal lath I il and is preferably secured to the studding by wiring in the usual manner. The plaster which is applied to the lath is shown at II. A similar facing may, if desired, 'be applied to the opposite face of the wall. The lath 'and plaster facing is shown in Figure 2 as extending throughout the entire distance between the floor track 2 and the ceiling track 'I and covering the space Q above mentioned. If the space 9 is to be left open the lath and plaster facingmay have its upper edge at about theelevation'of the tops of the studs 6.

In Figures to 8, inclusive, there is shown a shoe adapted to be applied over the floor or ceiling track when studs are required at points other than provided for by the tongues on the oor and ceiling tracks. The shoe, which is designated generally by reference numeral I2, comprises a web I3 and downwardly extending flanges I4 spaced apart sufficiently so that the shoe can be fitted down over the floor track 2 or fitted up over the ceiling track 1 with the flanges I4 of the shoe embracing the web of the floor or ceiling track. The shoe is maintained in position over the floor or ceiling track by nailing, a nail hole I5 being provided in the shoe for this purpose. The shoe has an upwardly projecting tongue I6 which is preferably formed by bending a portion of the continuation of the web I3 of the shoe at right angles to that portion of the web lying between the flanges I4. By attaching similar shoes to the floor and ceiling tracks with their respective tongues I in vertical alignment studs may be positioned intermediate the regularly spaced studs or at any position where studs may be desired. The studs are preferably connected with the tongues of the shoes I2 in the same manner as they are connected with the tongues on the floor and ceiling tracks as above described.

While I have shownand described certain present preferred embodiments of the invention, it is to be distinctly understood that the invention is not limited thereto but may be otherwise variously embodied within the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. Wall construction comprising an elongated base member having positioning means projecting therefrom and a second elongated member extending transversely of said base member, said second member having an end thereof formed to generally closed hollow cross-section and embracing said positioning means whereby to maintain said base member and said second member in position relatively to each other, said second member being transversely open at a location therealong removed from said end so that at such location it would not maintain said base member in position relatively thereto.

2. Wall construction. comprising a metallic base member having an outstruck tongue formed of the material of the base member and a second member having an end'of generally closed hollow cross-section embracing said tongue whereby to maintain said base member and said second member in position vrelatively to each other. y

3. Wall construction comprising a base member having'positioning means projecting there'- from and a second member of generally channel cross-section having an end thereof formed to generally closed hollow cross-section and embracing said positioning means whereby to maintain said base member and said second member in position relatively to each other, said second member having at a portion thereof removed from said end unidirectional generally parallel flanges only.

4. Wall construction comprising a base member having positioningmeans projecting therefrom and a second member of generally channel' cross-section having its flanges adjacent an-end thereof turned inwardly toward eachother'sufli-f ciently to enable the portion of the second mem'- ber at which'the flanges thereof are turned inwardly to substantially embrace the positioning means of the base member whereby to maintain the base member and the second member in tion relatively to each other.

5. Wall construction comprising a metallic base member of generally channel'cross-section having a tongue of the material'of the base member projecting from the web of the base member in a direction generally opposite the direction in which the flanges of the base member project from the web thereof and a second member extending generally in the direction of said tongue and lying along at least a portion of said tongue, there being means extending substantially about said tongue maintaining said second member against transverse displacement relatively to said tongue.

6. Wall construction comprising a metallic base member of generally channel cross-section having a tongue of the material of the base member projecting from the web of the base member in a direction generally opposite the direction in which the flanges of the base member project from the web thereof and a second member also of generally channel cross-section having its anges adjacent an end thereof turned inwardly toward each other sufficiently to enable the portion of the second member at which the flanges thereof are turned inwardly to substantially embrace said tongue Whereby to maintain said second member against transverse displacement relatively to said tongue.

7. Wall construction comprising a metallic base member having an outstruck tongue formed of the material of the base member, a second member having an end of generally closed hollow cross-section embracing said tongue whereby to maintain said base member and said second member in position relatively to each other, lath fastened to said second member and plaster applied to said lath.

8. Wall construction comprising a base member having a substantially at protrusion projecting therefrom and a second member extending generally in the direction of said protrusion and lying along at least a portion thereof, there being means extending substantially about said protrusion maintaining said second member against transverse displacement relatively to said protrusion.

9. Wall construction comprising a base member having a substantially flat protrusion projecting therefrom, a second member extending generally in the direction of said protrusion and lying along at least a portion thereof, there being means extending substantially about said protrusion maintaining said second member against transverse displacement relatively to said protrusion, lath fastened to said second member and plaster applied to said lath.

RICHARD T. MC GEE. 

